Your choice of glass container to mix the yogurt starter into a small amount of the warm milk. I use a Pyrex 2-cup measuring cup.

A folded kitchen towel

At least one clean, empty sink for the cold water bath

Ice

The Yogourmet yogurt starter comes in packets and each packet makes 1 quart of yogurt, so we need two packets. Put two packets together or just fold them together and cut the top corner sideways.

As your milk heats up, you will want to stir it more often so it doesn’t scald the bottom of your pan. If this happens, start to stir it sooner next time.

Add your thermometer to your milk and attach it to the side of the pan. Continue to stir the milk until the temperature is about 150 degrees.

Bubbles will form around the edge, and it might start to steam.

Prepare your sink for a cold water bath. Add ice to cold water until it is approximately 1/2 way up to the top of the pan. You will have to eyeball this.

Don’t forget to stir your milk while you are preparing this.

By now the milk should be up to temperature and should be steaming. You want it to be between 160 and 180 degrees.

Remove the pot from the stove. I do this at around 170 degrees.

Carefully place it into the cold water bath making sure no water gets into the milk. You might need to unplug the sink and drain it a bit or you might need to add water carefully to the side of the sink if it is too low.

Again, you need to eyeball it.

Stirring constantly at this point will make the milk cool faster. This step takes about 5 minutes. You can also stir the ice water around the outside of the pot.

Leave the thermometer in the milk, and let it cool to 110 degrees.

Now is where you need to move quickly so your milk does not cool off too much.

Remove the pot from the sink and pull the plug to drain your sink.

Place it on the folded kitchen towel. This step will save you from having to wipe the water off your counter and also keeps the pot from sliding around.

Pour a small amount of yogurt starter into the bottom of your glass container. You can have this prepared ahead of time.

Pour approximately 1 1/2 cups of warm milk into the glass container.

Whisk briefly, then pour the rest of your yogurt starter into the container while you whisk.

GAPS Yogurt FAQs:

There are sugars in milk that are eaten up by the yogurt bacteria within 24 hours. Sugar is a no-no on GAPS. This will make a very tart yogurt, and many people sweeten it with honey, which is the only sweetener allowed.

I’ll admit, it was an expensive yogurt maker, but it was the only option at the time. All of the yogurt makers on the market automatically shut off at 6 or 8 hours and did not give an option to incubate for 24 hours. The Excalibur gave me that option and also has a temperature dial so I can control the temperature.

There is at least one on the market now that gives you the control to incubate up to 24 hours. The price is comparable to the Excalibur, though.

I also use my Excalibur for lots of other things besides making yogurt. I got the smallest one available because of the expense, but wish I would have spent the money for a larger one.

Do I need to use a glass container?

It is my understanding that the yogurt culture will die when it comes in contact with metal. There is some controversy over this though. I had been taught that it is okay if the yogurt is in contact with metal for a short amount of time.

Yes. The illegal GAPS ingredients in Yogourmet are just trace amounts and therefore okay.

I’m not on the GAPS diet. Do I have to incubate my yogurt for 24 hours?

No. You need to incubate it for 6-8 hours and can use any means necessary for incubation since you don’t need to regulate the temperature.

After I went off GAPS, I started using my oven to incubate my yogurt and it works great! When you start to gather your materials, turn on your oven to it’s lowest temperature and turn it off when it gets up to temperature.

Then turn on the oven light. After you fill your jars and add the lids, place the yogurt on a cookie pan and place it in your warm oven. If it feels too hot, leave the door open for a bit.

The light bulb is enough heat to incubate your yogurt. I like to make yogurt in the evening and leave it in the oven overnight. In the morning I put it in my fridge.

So easy!

Do you make yogurt? What’s your favorite method? I’d love to hear from you!

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